Method and apparatus for depositing cigarettes in trays



March 22, 1966 G. DEARSLEY METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DEPOSITING CIGARETTES IN TRAYS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 20, 1965 .L T d A,

INVENTOR GEORGE DEARSLEY ATTORNEY March 22, 1966 G. DEASLEY 3,241,286

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DEPOSITING CIGARETTES IN TRAYS Filed June 20, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR GEORGE DEARSLEY ATTORNEY March 22, 1966 G, DEARSLEY l 3,241,286

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DEPOSITING CIGARETTES IN TRAYS Filed June 20, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR GEOR GE DEARS LEY ATTORNEY March 22, 1966 G. DEARSLEY 3,241,286

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DEPOSITING CIGARETTES IN TRAYS Filed June 20, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

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69@ www" T INVENTOR GEORGE DEARSLEY #www ATTO RN EY March 22, 1966 DEARSLEY 3,241,286

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DEPOSITING CIGARETTES IN TRAYS Filed June 20, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 5| `TovAcuUM INVENTOR GEORGE DEARSLEY ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,241,286 METHOD AND APlARATUS FOR DEPOSITING CIGARETTES IN TRAYS George Dearsley, Richmond, Va., assignor to American Machine & Foundry Company, a corporation of New Jersey Filed .lune 20, 1963, Ser. No. 289,447 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Feb. 17, 1960, 5,666/ 60 23 Claims. (Cl. 53-35) This invention relates to the mechanical handling or rod shaped articles of various cross sections and more particularly to a method and apparatus for receiving and conveying cigarettes from one or more cigarette making machines.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Serial No. 47,301 filed August 3, 1960, now abandoned.

Heretofore, various devices have been employed for automatically collecting cigarettes in trays. Some of these have had the disadvantage that they have not been readily adaptable for different diameter cigarettes and some have handled the cigarettes yby means which has caused damage to the cigarette. In other cases, they have not been readily adaptable for conveying cigarettes to depositing stations located at different heights.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved method and apparatus for automatically receiving cigarettes discharged from a cigarette making machine and conveying the same to a depositing station.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved method and apparatus for automatically receiving cigarettes discharged from a cigarette making machine and to deposit the same in superimposed horizontal rows in storage or other receiving compartments automatically.

Another object is to provide an automatic tray filling device wherein cigarettes or other rod shaped articles of various cross sections or different diameters can be readily handled.

Another object of this invention is to provide means for conveying cigarettes to the collecting hopper of a cigarette packaging machine wherein the s-tructure will be of simple design and economical to construct and manufacture.

A further object of this invention is to provide a cigarette conveying having individual pockets which are readily adaptable for handling different diameters or cross sections o-f rod shaped objects.

A further object of this invention is to provide an automatic catcher wherein adjustable means are provided for regulating the quantity of cigarettes deposited in each cycle.

A further object of this invention is to provide means for maintaining the deposited cigarettes parallel to one another when they have been discharged into the collecting tray or receiving compartment.

A further object is to provide 4an automatic tray filling device which will be capable of utilizing the space adjacent the floor with a minimum of waste.

A further object of this invention is to provide a tray filling device which will automatically fill the trays with cigarettes received from a cigarette making machine and which will automatically remove a filled tray and replace the same with an empty tray.

Another object of this invention is to incorporate a defective cigarette rejecting mechanism into a tray filling apparatus wherein defective cigarettes normally encountered at the beginning and end of a -continuous cigarette making operation will be automatically removed from the cigarettes being stacked in the stacking trays.

3,241,286 Patented Mar. 22, 1966 lCe A further object is to incorporate a cigarette inspection device with a tray filling apparatus wherein the cigarettes will `be individually inspected as they trav-el towards the tray being lled and wherein means are provided for rejecting cigarettes that are detected as being defective by said rejecting mechanism.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an assembly of a plurality of apparatus of the character described which feeds cigarettes into the collecting hoppers of cigarette packaging machines.

Other objects and features of the invention will appear as the description of the particular embodiment selected to illustrate the invention progresses. In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, like characters of reference have `been applied to corresponding parts throughout the several views which make up the drawings.

FIG. l shows -a front elevational view of' my automatic tray filling apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing the mechanism for feeding empty trays into filling position and for removing filled trays from the filled position in the cigarette tray filling apparatus.

FIG. 3 is 4a cross-sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. l.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a novel belt having cigarette receiving pockets formed therein.

FIG. 5 is a detailed view of the apparatus for removing defective cigarettes at the beginning and end of an interruption in the cigarette making cycle.

FIG. 6 shows a front elevational View of the invention wherein the tray filling mechanism has been modified to permit the tray filling position to be changed to any desirable height.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional View of the roller shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is a front elevational View of another embodiment -of the present invention modified to convey cigarettes to the hopper of a cigarette packaging machine.

Referring to FIG. l, cigarettes are received on the collector belt 10 from the cigarette making machine or from a filter tip attachment. The belt 1li travelling in the direction indicated by the arrow, moves over the pulley 12 and delivers the cigarettes into contact with the perforated belt 14 which travels in the direction indicated by the arrow.

A suction shoe 16 is provided adjacent that portion of the path of travel of belt 14 where cigarettes are to be conveyed by the belt 14 as at positions 18, 20 and 22.

The present invention relates to .a method and apparatus for conveying cigarettes from a cigarette making machine to a depositing station. The depositing station could be, for example, the infeed of a cigarette packaging machine or it could be the trays in which cigarettes are customarily deposited as they are received from the cigarette making machine.

For purposes of illustration, I have shown how my invention can be used with either type of depositing station.

When the perforated belt 14 travels around the roller 24 (which may be of a design similar to that `shown in FIG. 7), suction is applied to the central perforated portion of the belt in between the space between the two halves of the roller 24. This suction, which is effective in the shoe 16, originates from a suitable source of suction with which the duct area 26 of the shoe 16 is connected. This suction holds the cigarettes C firmly against the perforated belt 14. When the cigarettes so held against the belt 14 have travelled around the roller Z4, they descend along the inclined shoe support 22. If desired, in order to economise on the amount of suction required, a suitable supporting wall 28 may be provided.

3 In that case, the wall 22 would be blanked olf so that it would not be connected to the source of suction 26 and the wall 28 would support the cigarettes in their downward descend.

As each cigarette C passes a detector box 30, while moving around the roller 24, a suitable detector, such as a photocell for measuring the amount of light reflected from the end of the cigarette, determines whether or not the cigarette is defective. If a cigarette is detected as being defective at this position, a suitable rejector 32 which is interconnected with the detector box 30, and having therein a suitable time delay mechanism, is actuated and the defective cigarette is removed automatically by the rejector 32.

As the cigarettes descend on the inclined surface of the shoe 22, they pass around a roller 34 made up of two halves as shown in FIG. 7.

When the cigarettes pass around the roller 34 they are held thereto by suction from the suction shoe 36 which acts on the belt 14 through the space 38 between the two halves of roller 34. As the belt 14 continues its horizontal run, suction in the chamber 36 holds the cigarettes securely to the belt.

A suitable adjustable blade 40 located between the two halves of roller 34, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 7, separates` the suction shoe 36 from the suction in duct area 26. When the leading cigarette has traversed its entire horizontal path of movement on the underside of the suction shoe 36, it reaches a detecting device 42. As soon as this detecting device is actuated by the leading cigarette 44, it causes a gate 46 to close ofi the chamber in shoe 36 from the source of suction at duct area 26. As soon as this occurs, the cigarettes are released from the belt 14 and are discharged into the receiving tray 48. It will be noted that they will only fall a slight distance and will come to rest on the bottom f the tray 48 or on the uppermost row of the cigarettes located in the tray being filled.

The baille or blade 40 is circumferentially adjustable. The positioning of the blade 4t) will automatically determine the number of cigarettes that are discharged into the tray being filled.

A similar blade 40 is provided in the space between the two halves of roller 52 for completing the enclosure of suction shoe 36.

The gate 46 is mounted on a shaft 54 which is actuated through a linkage 56 and 58 by a solenoid 60. Solenoid 60 is actuated automatically when ever detector 42 is actuated by the leading cigarette conveyed on the lower horizontal run of belt 14.

In order to prevent the cigarettes passing around roller 34 from becoming disarranged when suction is cut off by closure of gate 46, suitable rods 62 are provided for maintaining the cigarettes in parallel arrangement as they fall.

As soon as a cigarette falls out of the range of the detector 42, solenoid 60 is deactivated, and the spring 63 pushes the plunger 64 outwardly, and this in turn reopens the gate 46.

When cigarettes are discharged from belt 14 they fall downwardly either on the bottom of a tray 48 (as shown in FIGURE l) or on top of the last row of cigarettes discharged into the tray. A detector 66 is actuated by the cigarettes so deposited and this detector causes tray lowering mechanism to lower chains or belts 68 and 70 until the detector 66 is deactivated.

The belt 14 is made up in two halves as shown in FIG. 3. By separating the belt 14 in this manner, it allows suction inside the suction shoes 16 and 36 to hold cigarettes C firmly against the belt 14.

In order to regulate the amount of suction that is in communication with the space between the belt 14, a pair of spaced adjustable regulating plates 72 and 74 can be adjusted. The chains or belts 68 and 70 travel Vover sets of pulley wheels 78, 80 and 76, 82, respectively.

Suitable cam mechanism is provided so that when a tray has become fully loaded by the repetition of the process just described, this mechanism will actuate the tray removing and replacing mechanism shown in FIG. 2. For purposes of illustration, I have shown how this cam mechanism may consist of a cam block 88 which may be secured to the tray supporting brackets 84 and 86. It will be appreciated however, that instead of mounting the cam 88 so that it travels with the belt 70, a cam could be mounted on one of the shafts, as for example, the shaft 90 on which the pulley '78 is mounted.

By making the circumference of the pulley 78 the same distance that a tray has to be lowered for one complete filling cycle, this cam (not shown) could be used for operating a detector or switch which actuates the tray removing land replacing mechanism shown in FIG. 2.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. l and 2, a detector or switch 92 is actuated by the cam 88, and at the stage of operation illustrated in FIG. l the filling of a tray has just been completed.

When switch 92 is actuated, the tray supporting elements 84 and 86 which are carried by the chains or belts 68 and 70 are caused to make a rapid downward movement to rapidly lower the filled tray and to bring a pair of vacant supporting elements 84 and 86 into the ccorrect position to receive the next empty tray. Thereupon the ratchet racks 94 and 96 are actuated, and ratchet elements 98 and 100 engage with their respective trays, pushing them along the tracks 102 and 104 and delivering the foremost empty tray onto the tray supporting elements 84 and 86.

The new tray 106 that has been so delivered rests on the supporting elements 84 and 86 and is gradually lowered in the manner described above as the tray is loaded with successive layers of cigarettes.

Subsequent movements of the chains or belts 68 and 70 lower the filled tray onto rails 102, at which time the pusher mechanism 98 is activated either by means of a cam mounted on shaft 90 and a suitable micro switch, or by means of mechanism geared to shaft 90, so that it moves in timed relationship with that shaft 90 and so lwith the trays carried on supporting elements 84 and 86. By this means, the filled tray is pushed along the rails 102 by the pawls 98 on pawl bar 94, thus making space for the tray currently being filled to be lowered as necessary. It will `be seen that the movement of pawl bar 94, simultaneously moves the last tray filled, together with any previous ones filled, so that the machine operator is not compelled to remove each filled tray as it is delivered, but may allow the filled trays, to accumulate to be eventually removed as a group, thus permitting the apparatus to run for comparatively long periods of time without attention.

In FIG. 4, I have shown an alternative form of belt (in FIG. 8). In this configuration, the belt is provided with pockets formed by elongated elements 108 of triangular cross section and arranged side by side. In between each triangular element is a slotted opening 110 which communicates with the suction chamber, because the sides of the triangular members form V-shaped spaces, the pockets formed by the sides of two adjacent triangular members can support various diameter cigarettes, or, for that matter, oval cigarettes, and have only a line contact therewith.

Another advantage of this particular construction is that there is more surface area of the cigarette in communication `with the suction chamber, and for this reason, it is easier to hold the cigarette fast to the conveying belt by means of suction. Also, enough air can bleed in through the ends so that when suction is closed off the cigarettes held by suction will fall down.

In FIG. 5, I have shown a modification of my invention which permits the defective cigarettes to be discharged before they are delivered to the belt 14. This structure is mounted on the pulley shaft 112 of roller 12 and consists ,5 of a plate supporting 'bracket 114 and a guide plate 116.

Whenever a cigarette making machine has been stopped, the plate 116 will be moved downwardly to the dotted line position 118 shown in FIG. 5, which will cause the first few cigarettes delivered from the cigarette making machine when it starts up to be discarded or deflected away from the pick up belt 14. After this, the plate 116 will be moved automatically into the full line position shown in FIG. 5. This causes the cigarettes to be delivered to the belt 14, which picks them up and conveys them away to the discharge position described above.

Referring to FIG. 6, I have shown another modified form of the invention. This modification is particularly advantageous where the amount of room between the collecting belt 118 and the bottom of the floor of the cigarette making machine is limited. In this case, cigarettes are delivered from the belts 118 into the range of action of the suction pick up belt 120 at one level and the cigarettes are conveyed upwardly by the belt 120, which is similar in construction to the ybelt 14 shown in FIGS. l, 3, and 4. The cigarettes so carried upwardly are conveyed around pulleys 112 which likewise may be similar in construction to the pulley 24. 4

The cigarettes then are conveyed downwardly t-o the horizontal run 124 of the belt in the manner similar to that described in connection with FIG. 1. The empty trays are delivered into the tray supporting brackets 126 and 128 in the manner already described. These trays are then lowered by suitable mechanism such as that described p in connection with FIG. l, by means of the belts or chains 130 and 132, until each tray is filled. When the tray is filled, it is removed and a new tray is fed onto the supporting brackets 126 and 128.

The tray and chains 130 and 132 shown in FIG. 6 may also be eliminated and the cigarettes may drop off the horizontal run of the suction conveyor belt 120 into the collecting area of a cigarette packaging machine, at either the same or at a different level.

This embodiment of the present invention is shown on FIG. 8. The assembly therein depicted comprises one or more delivery belts 140 passing over pulley 142 to deliver cigarettes from one or more cigarette machines of conventional construction. These cigarettes generally denoted `by reference character C are thus delivered into the range of action of suction pick up belt 144 which is suitably of the type shown as 14 in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4. As shown, `belt 144 passes over pulleys 146, 148 and 150. Suction chambers 26 and 36 and elements 46, 54, and 56 operate in the same manner as described in connection with FIG. 1. Rollers 142 and 154 operate in the same manner as elements 52 and 40. The cigarettes are conveyed downwardly along belt 144 to the horizontal run of the belt 156.

As previously described in connection with FIG. 1, the arrival of the lead cigarette at member 154 activate means for disconnecting suction from said lower or horizontal run 156. As a result the entire row of cigarettes held on the belt between rollers 152 and 154 is able to fall. It will be appreciated that instead of cutting off suction to effect a discharge of the cigarettes, it is also possible to employ a suitable stripping device for this purpose. In this version of the invention, the hopper of a cigarette packaging machine of well known construction may be positioned immediately below and at a suitable distance from run 156 so that the cigarettes may fall therein. This collecting hopper 158 is provided with suitable agitators 159 and 160. Instead of a hopper, a conveyor belt of the packaging machine may be positioned under the horizontal run to receive these discharge cigarettes.

It will be appreciated that this embodiment of the invention may be modified so that suction cut off occurs at any point along the horizontal run of belt 144 since it is not necessarily essential that the cigarettes be discharged into the collection area in superimposed horizontal rows.

It is also noteworthy to remark that the levels on which the cigarette making machine and the cigarette packaging machine are located can be either the same or different, with either the former or the latter being above the other. This advantage is made possible by the fact that the cigarettes are securely held on the belt while they are conveyed both horizontally and vertically.

Since cigarette packaging machines sometimes have a capacity enabling them to package more cigarettes than are made by one cigarette making machine, the present invention contemplates assemblies of the type shown on FIG. 8 but wherein two or more cigarette making machines may feed into hopper 158 through an additional unit involving another conveying belt, a suction belt of the type described, and the described suction cut off means. As indicated, the cigarette making machine or machines may be located at any given distance from the cigarette packaging machine. With the present apparatus for receiving and conveying cigarettes, it is possible to transfer cigarettes from a cigarette machine positioned on, for example, one floor of a factory in another building to a cigarette packaging machine located in another oor of the factory or even in another building. This can be done simply by making the present apparatus of the required size. It is of great importance to note that the indicated transfer is entirely automatic and requires no manual handling of the cigarettes.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains that means other than suction may be employed to support cigarettes on the transfer belt hereinabove defined as a suction belt. It will be appreciated also that instead of using a belt as the cigarette transfer means, a pocketed conveyor device may be used to the same end.

The above description relates to a mechanism in which the suction belt employed to transport and deliver cigarettes into the containers is running in a fixed path, and in which the receiving containers are moved relative to the fixed belt position.

Depending upon the type of container to be filled, this mode of operation is very satisfactory but it will be understood that equally satisfactory results are obtainable by leaving the container to be filled in a stationary position and arranging for the suction belt mechanism to be moved in order to maintain the desired relation between the top surface of the cigarettes already delivered into the containers and the delivery belt lower surface.

This second mode of operation may be preferable if it is desired to fill containers which are in the form of a cornplete box, open only at the top, for it has been found easier to lower the belt mechanism into the containers than to raise the containers to the belt mechanism.

Also, as described above, the cigarettes are removed from their source of supply at a rate equal to their arrival. The alternative consists in removing them at a slightly faster rate than their arrival. This results in random gaps in the endless stream of cigarettes being carried by the suction belt and this has been found in practice to make no difference in the efficiency of de'- livery of the cigarettes to the containers being filled.

The advantages arrising from this slightly faster removal are that if the rate of arrival of the cigarettes from the source of supply is temporarily interrupted, as would be the case if a group of cigarettes were removed may be replaced in the source of supply, which temporary surplus will be carried away after a short time by reason of the slightly excessive speed of removal.

Also, according to the 4above description, it will be understood that the transition from a full container to the next empty container must be made during that period of time which it takes the suction belt to travel across the width of the container, and may be quite satisfactorily accomplished with the size of the container normally used, but it is known that in some parts of the world much smaller containers are employed. The use of the 'smallest of these reduces considerably the time taken for the suction belt to travel across its width with corresponding reduction in time available for changing over from full to next empty containers.

Under these conditions, more time may be made available for changing containers by arresting the movement of the suction belt when said containers are being changed. Under these circumstances, cigarettes will continue to arrive from the source of supply, which in this case functions as a fluctuating reservoir which is subsequently emptied by reason of the fact that the suction belt removes cigarettes from the reservoir at a faster rate than they are supplied thereto.

The invention hereinabove described may be varied in construction within the scope of the claims, for the particular device selected to illustrate the invention is but one of many possible embodiments of the same. The invention therefore, is not to be restricted to the precise details of the structure shown and described.

What is claimed is:

l. Apparatus for receiving articles such as cigarettes and delivering them to a receiver, comprising a perforate, endless conveyor member adapted to hold articles by virture of suction applied therethrough from the inner side of the member, means driving and guiding said member in a path including a downwardly facing and substantially straight and horizon-tal run, means for applying suction at the inner side of said member at least along the portion thereof including said run, means for controlling the application by the last-mentioned means of suction along said run, said controlling means effecting the intermittent interruption of suction along said portion of the run to cause the dropping of successive rows of articles downwardly into the receiver positioned beneath said portion of the run for catching said rows of articles, and means for delivering articles in succession to said member at a location reached in advance of said portion of the run.

2. Apparatus for receiving articles such as cigarettes and delivering them to a receiver, comprising a perforate, endless conveyor member adapted to hold articles by virtue of suction applied from the inner side of the member, means for driving and guiding said member along a path including a downwardly facing and substantially straight and horizontal run, means for applying suction at the inner side of said member along said run and along the portion of the member directly preceding said r-un, means for delivering articles in succession to the last-mentioned portion in crosswise relation thereto, means for detecting the arrival of a leading article at a predetermined point along the length of said run, means responsive to said detecting means for controlling the application of suction to the member along said run, the last-mentioned means being responsive to said detection of each said leading article to interrupt momentarily the application of suction to eiect the dropping of a row of articles from the member into the receiver positioned beneath said run for catching rows of cigarettes successively dropped therefrom.

3. Apparatus according to claim Z, wherein said detecting means is positioned in the path of travel of cigarettes carried by said member and responsive to engagement by each said leading article in a row of articles to be dropped.

4. Apparatus according to claim 2, including means for varying the lengthwise extent of said run over which said suction is interrupted, whereby the number of articles in each said row may be regulated.

5. Apparatus for receiving articles such as cigarettes and delivering them to a receiver, comprising a perforate, endless conveyor member adapted to hold articles by virtue of suction applied therethrough from the inner side of the mem-ber, means driving and guiding said member in a path including a downwardly facing and substantially straight and horizontal run, means dening above said run a closed duct space in communication with said member along a lengthwise portion thereof, means for applying suction to said duct area and for periodically cutting off said suction in the duct area momentarily, thereby to effect the dropping of a row of articles from said member into means positioned beneath said lengthwise portion of said run for catching rows of cigarettes successively dropped from said member, and means for delivering articles in succession to said member at a location reached in advance of said lengthwise portion of the run.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said means for applying suction includes means for detecting the arrival of a leading article in a row at an advanced point along said run for initiating said momentary interruption of suction.

7. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said means for applying suction includes a source of suction connected 4to said duct space and a baiile interposed between said duct space and source for effecting said momentary interruption of suction.

8. Apparatus for receiving articles such as cigarettes and delivering them to a receiver, comprising a perforate, endless conveyor member adapted to hold articles by virtue of suction applied therethrough from the inner side of the member, means driving and guiding said member in a .path including a downwardly facing and substantially straight and horizontal run, means defining first and second closed duct spaces in communication with said member at the inner side thereof, said second duct space communicating with said member along a limited portion of its path within said horizontal run and said lirst duct space communicating with said member along the portion of its path reached in advance of said limited portion within the horizontal run, a source of suction, means connecting said duct spaces to said source including means for periodically interrupting the suction in said second duct space only, thereby to effect the dropping of successively collected rows of articles from said member into the receiver positioned to catch said successively dropped rows of articles, and means for delivering articles in succession to said member within said portion reached in advance of said limited portion of the horizontal run.

9. Apparatus for handling articles such as cigarettes comprising in combination: a perforate, endless conveyor member adapted to hold articles by virtue of suction applied from the inner side of the member, an article delivery means positioned at a first level and adapted to transfer articles to said member in succession into an article receiver positioned at a second level spaced vertically from said rst level, means for driving and guiding said member in a path of travel extending vertically between said article delivery means and the receiver and including a downwardly facing straight horizontal run above the receiver, means for applying suction at the inner side of said member at least along the path of travel thereof leading from said article delivery means and through said run above the receiver, and means for controlling the application by the last-mentioned means of suction along said run of the member above the receiver, said controlling means effecting the intermittent interruption of suction along said run to cause the dropping of successive rows of articles downwardly to the receiver.

lt). Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said controlling means include a means for detecting the arrival of a leading cigarette at an advanced point of travel along said run, and means responsive to the last-mentioned means for momentarily interrupting the application of suction along Said run.

11. Apparatus for receiving articles such as cigarettes and delivering them to a receiver, comprising a perforate, endless conveyor member adapted to hold articles by virtue of suction applied therethrough from the inner side of the member, means for driving and guiding said member in a path of travel including a downwardly facing and substantially straight and horizontal run, wall means dening above said run a closed duct space in communication With said member along a lengthwise portion thereof, said wall means including spaced sealing members engageable with said member at opposite ends of said duct space, a source of suction connected to said duct space, baie means interposed between said duct space and source and operable to interrupt momentarily the suction applied through said duct area, means intermittently operating said bale means to effect the dropping of successive rows of articles from said run of the member into the receiver positioned beneath said run for catching said rows of articles, and means located behind said run in the direction of travel of said member for delivering articles thereto, at least one of said sealing members being adjustable to vary the spacing thereof, whereby the number of said articles collected in each of said dropped rows can be varied.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said baffle operating means includes means for detecting the arrival of a leading article at an advance point along said run, and means responsive to the last-mentioned means for closing said baffle means momentarily upon the detection of each of said leading articles.

13. Apparatus according to claim 11, including a second duct space defined at the inner side of said member and extending from adjacent said article delivering means toward said run, said second duct space being continuously connected to said source of suction.

14. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein one of said sealing members serves to separate said duct spaces.

15. Apparatus for receiving articles such as cigarettes and delivering them to a receiver, comprising an endless conveyor member having an opening therein through which suction can be applied to hold articles against the outer side of the member, means for driving and guiding said member along a path including a downwardly facing and substantially straight horizontal run, means providing a suction chamber at the inner side of said member and in communication with said opening along the portion of the path of travel of said member including said run, a source of suction connected to said chamber, means for delivering articles in succession to said member, means for delivering articles in succession to said member in crosswise relation to the direction of travel of said member, means stationed along said run for detecting the arrival of a leading article at a predetermined point thereof, and means responsive to the detection of a said leading article by the last-mentioned means to interrupt momentarily the application of suction through said opening along a substantial lengthwise portion of said run, thereby to effect the dropping of a row of articles therefrom into means positioned beneath said run for receiving rows of cigarettes successively dropped therefrom.

16. Apparatus according to claim 15, including a second chamber at the inner side of said member along the portion of travel thereof immediately preceding said run, said second chamber being continuously connected to said source of Suction, and said article delivering means effecting the transfer of articles to said member at said portion preceding said run.

17. A tray lling apparatus comprising a source of supply of cigarettes received continuously from a cigarette making machine, a suction belt travelling over a predetermined path of travel and having a suitable run for receiving cigarettes in side by side arrangement from said source of supply, a tray support for positioning a tray under a horizontal run of said belt, a detector for releasing the cigarettes held by said suction belt on its horizontal run every time the cigarette at the leading end of said horizontal run reaches a predetermined point, and mechanism for lowering sai-d tray every time cigarettes are discharged thereiuto.

18. A tray lling device comprising, a source of supply of empty trays, a suction belt having a multiple number of runs, a lowering device for supporting said trays under the suction belt, a source of supply of cigarettes delivered in side by side arrangement to one of the run portions of said suction belt, means for displacing one of said runs into a path of travel positioned above the tray to be lled, and means for causing said cigarettes to be released from said suction belt at predetermined intervals from said path of travel.

19. The method of filling trays with cigarettes received from a continuous source of supply which comprises receiving said cigarettes from said source of supply continuously, conveying said cigarettes by means of suction in side by side relationship along an inclined path, moving said cigarettes so conveyed by suction along a horizontal path of travel, discharging said cigarettes whenever a predetermined number of cigarettes have been moved along said horizontal path of travel, and collecting said cigarettes so discharged in superimposed position.

20. Apparatus for automatically stacking cigarettes in a tray comprising a suction belt travelling in a triangular path of travel, apparatus for delivering cigarettes in side by side arrangement to the ascending portion of said conveyor adjacent the apex of said path, means for supporting cigarettes on the descending portion of said conveyor, and suction means for holding cigarettes to said conveyor when they travel along the horizontal part of said triangular arrangement, means for releasing rows of cigarettes from said horizontal run by periodically shutting off the suction holding the cigarettes to said horizontal run thereby to deposit successive rows of cigarettes in said tray.

21. Apparatus for filling trays with cigarettes automatically comprising pulleys over which an endless suction conveyor belt is trained, means provided in said pulleys for allowing suction to be effective on said belts as they travel around the pulley surfaces, means for moving said conveyor belts from a cigarette receiving station to a cigarette discharge station, a source of supply of cigarettes to be stacked, apparatus for delivering cigarettes from said source of supply to said conveyor belt at said cigarette receiving station, a means for moving said conveyor belt from the cigarette receiving station to the cigarette discharge station, suction means for holding cigarettes on the lower side of said conveyor belt until a predetermined amount of cigarettes has been delivered to said discharge station, and mechanism for cutting oif suction from that portion of the conveyor belt situated at the discharge station to effect a release of cigarettes from said conveyor belt.

22. Apparatus for automatically stacking cigarettes in trays comprising an endless conveyor belt travelling in a predetermined path of travel, one portion of the path of travel being in upward direction while another portion of said path of travel being in a substantially horizontal path of travel, means for connecting a source of suction to the conveyor belt Where it travels in an upward direction to pick up and support cigarettes delivered thereto from a source of supply, apparatus for connecting suction to that portion of the conveyor belt travelling in a substantially horizontal path of travel to secure cigarettes to the underside of said conveyor by means of suction as it travels along said horizontal path of travel, mechanism for closing off suction from said portion of the conveyor belt travelling in a substantially horizontal plane each time a predetermined amount of cigarettes are supported on the underside of said conveyor belt to effect a discharge of said cigarettes from the horizontal portion of said conveyor belt,

23. Apparatus for transporting and delivering rod shaped articles into a receiver comprising a source of supply of the articles, a suction conveyor band to remove the articles from the source of supply and to carry them for at least a portion of its path of travel on the underl l l2 side of the band along a substantially horizontal path eX- References Cited by the Examiner tending across the receiver, means for controlling the suc- UNITED STATES PATENTS tlonaffectmg that group of articles which 1t 1s desired to release into the receiver, said means being actuated by the llggrt- 271 74 X presence of the articles themselves to cut olf the suction 5 from that group when it reaches the appropriate position l. l r relative to the receiver so that the group of articles falls TRAVS S' MCGEHEE P'lma'y Ewmmer into the receiver. FRANK E. BAILEY, Examiner. 

19. THE METHOD OF FILLING TRAYS WITH CIGARETTES RECEIVED FROM A CONTINUOUS SOURCE OF SUPPLY WHICH COMPRISES RECEIVING SAID CIGARETTES FROM SAID SOURCE OF SUPPLY CONTINUOUSLY, CONVEYING SAID CIGARETTES BY MEANS OF SUCTION IN SIDE BY SIDE RELATIONSHIP ALONG AN INCLINED PATH, MOVING SAID CIGARETTES SO CONVEYED BY SUCTION ALONG A HORIZONTAL PATH OF TRAVEL, DISCHARGING SAID CIGARETTES WHENEVER A PREDETERMINED NUMBER OF CIGARETTES HAVE BEEN MOVED ALONG SAID HORIZONTAL PATH OF TRAVEL, AND COLLECTING SAID CIGARRETTES SO DISCHARGED IN SUPERIMPOSED POSITION. 